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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2020)
MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A LOCAL & STATE L OCAL B RIEFING Jackson Rohner named to dean’s list at Montana State University BOZEMAN, Mont. — Jackson Rohner of Baker City was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester at Montana State University. To be eligible, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5. Baker County Board of Commissioners to meet Wednesday morning The Baker County Board of Commissioners will meet Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Courthouse, 1995 Third St. The agenda includes department updates from Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash and from Rick Gloria, the county’s veterans services offi cer, and a continuation of the discussion about a request for proposals to manage the county’s Hewitt and Holcomb parks near Richland. Photo by Kendall Hayes Northeast Oregon Compassion Center fundraising banquet scheduled Feb. 1 Smoke pours out of the Joseph Charter School gym after students and staff safely evacuated on Thursday. JOSEPH from the fi re, and sprinklers did not activate so there was Continued from Page 1A no water damage. School fi re drills had paid Other parts of the school off. Within fi ve minutes, and sustained damage from closer to three, every student smoke and water. was out of the school and No injuries were reported, harm’s way. Many left their and investigators have not jackets, backpacks and other determined the cause of the possessions in their class- blaze. rooms. After gathering outside in The school has about 260 groups on Thursday, older students. Classes are canceled children walked and younger this week, but students will children were bused to the return Jan. 27, at sites yet to Joseph Community Center, be determined, according to which city employees opened the district. up for the refugees. A post on the district’s Joseph Fire Department Facebook page said that the responded within minutes part of the school that houses as well as Enterprise Fire, students from kindergarten Wallowa County and Oregon through fourth grade could State Police not long after- be usable within about two ward to the Sather Court weeks. That area was farthest blaze, a particularly diffi cult SNOWPACK Continued from Page 1A But then the jet stream started propel- ling Pacifi c storms directly into North- eastern Oregon. A sampling of the dramatic changes one to fi ght because of the size of the building, its inherent darkness and smoke. The fi re started in the mechanical room and quickly climbed to the ceiling, where it spread rapidly. Wrestling practice is held in the balcony and the petro- leum based material of the mats emitted a viscous smoke that hampered fi refi ghters in their search for the fi re’s origin. Firefi ghters from both departments fi ltered into the building with hoses and emerged blackened with soot from the smoke. Two blackened fi refi ghters emerged from the building. One said, “It’s hot as hell in there.” The other replied that he could barely see in the these snowy systems made: • Schneider Meadows, in the Wallowa Mountains north of Halfway, went from 8.4 inches of water content on Jan. 1 (68% of average) to 16.4 inches now, which is exactly average for this time of the winter. • Bourne, north of Sumpter, more smoke fi lled gym. On the outside, as smoke billowed from open gym doors and an exhaust vent, other fi refi ghters labored to tend hoses and hold a ladder as another fi refi ghter climbed to knock out balcony windows to vent heated gases that could spread to other areas of the school. The gases had earlier caused a fl ash fi re when they ignited, according to Wallowa County Emergency Services Manager, Paul Karvoski. “Luckily, no one was in there at the time,” he said. Hard work by the fi refi ght- ers allowed them to get the upper hand on the blaze after 45 minutes. This kept the fi re from spreading out of the gym and into classrooms. than doubled the water content, from 4.3 inches on Jan. 1 (63% of average) to 9.1 inches now, 95% of average. • Moss Springs, in the Wallowas above Cove, went from a water content of 8.6 inches on Jan. 1 (84% of average) to 14.9 inches, which is 8% above average. N EWS OF R ECORD DEATHS Rupert Dykstra: 62, of Baker City, died Jan. 17, 2020, at his home surrounded by family. There will be a celebration of his life at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Harvest Christian Church, 3720 Birch St., in Baker City. Arrange- ments are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Online condolences may be made at www.tamispinevalley funeralhome.com FUNERAL PENDING Dan Peters: Graveside service with military honors will be Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception afterward at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 42171 Chico Road, in Baker City. A memorial service and celebra- tion of Dan’s life will take place in the spring at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, date and time to be announced later. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Baker Adventist Christian School through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Ser- vices, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences may be made at www.tamispineval- leyfuneralhome.com O BITUARIES Continued from Page 2A Walt Forsea Richland 1924-2020 After graduation, Walt went back to the Snake River and worked on the family ranch and neighboring ranches for $1 to $1.50 per day. He pre- ferred working for the Basche Ranch as they paid the best wages. Walt was drafted into the military and served from 1944 to 1946. He was in the F Company 19th Infantry 24th Division. He served one year in Japan during the occupa- tion and 6 months in combat at Mindanau, Philippines. Walt was fi rst scout and his platoon took the island back for the Philippines from the Japanese. After two years he was honorably discharged as a First Sergeant. Walt returned to the family ranch in August 1946. Walt, his brother Bob, and their dad did all the work on their ranch except for haying. It was a community of help- ing, whether it be haying, or if there was a house or range- land fi re, everyone pitched in. Everything in that time was done with a team, wagon or sleigh. During the Depression when times were so tough and people in town were really struggling, the Forseas barely noticed, as they were living off the land and did quite well. They had pigs and chickens to eat. They milked their cows and sold cream and shipped it out to Portland. Those monies paid for what groceries they needed. They sold bummer calves and picked local fruit and wal- nuts to sell, and raised a big garden. Walt’s favorite hobby not work related while living on the river, was to come to town and visit with people. No one was a stranger. There were family potlucks and dances on the river. Everyone brought their kids and would put their coats in a big pile. When the kids got tired they slept effort- lessly on the coat piles. In about 1964, Idaho Power bought out the Forsea property on the Snake River. They used the monies as a down payment for several family ranches in Richland. Many improvements were made in the valley includ- ing tree removal and land leveling, spring develop- ment, fencing and improving cropland and water troughs. Since there were no govern- ment regulations it was much easier to make the needed improvements. Walt’s biggest accomplishment on the ranch was seeing the ranch being built up from nothing to what it is today. It took fi ve years to get productive farm ground in the valley when they moved to Richland. The ranch truly Alan King: His memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Arrange- ments are under the direction of Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Online condolences may be made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneral home.com POLICE LOG Baker City Police CRIMINAL TRESPASSING: Jamie Joseph Weiss, 54, Baker City transient, 9:30 p.m. Sunday, in the 1900 block of Second Street; jailed. has something to show for the countless hours the family endured. Looking back on the his- tory of the ranch, would Walt do anything different? The answer is “no.” In 1949 Walt met and mar- ried Donna Jackson. They lived on the Snake River at the “home place,” one of the four family residences. After the river property was sold, they moved to the Richland valley. In 1959 they built a house for $16,000 and Walt helped the contractor a great deal. Walt and Donna had three children: Dan, Pat and Jane. They later divorced, but remained great friends. On Nov. 2, 1974, Walt mar- ried Norma Tureman. He and Norma never missed a dance, enjoyed working on the ranch and loved to travel when time allowed. Countries they trav- eled were Romania, Swit- zerland, Italy, France, Spain, Japan (three trips), China, Hong Kong; states included Washington, D.C., (represent- ing the “Freedom Flight” ) veterans, Colorado Springs, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and attend the National Finals Rodeo for 18 years. Walt’s work was his hobby but in his spare time when he wasn’t out visiting with people, he did leather work. He repaired saddles and tack and also made chaps for his kids and grandkids and reveled in seeing the little ones getting their fi rst pair of DRIVING WHILE OPERATOR’S LICENSE SUSPENDED and three out-of-county warrants, DRIVING WHILE OPERATOR’S LICENSE SUSPENDED (Multnomah County), UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE (Clatsop County) and THIRD-DEGREE ASSAULT, two counts, and SUP- PLYING CONTRABAND (Clatsop County): Stephen Michael Scott Harris, 32, of Warrenton, 10:45 p.m. Saturday, at Resort and Broadway streets; jailed. CONTEMPT OF COURT (Baker County warrant): Justin Michael Shelton, 29, of Baker City, 10:20 a.m. Friday, at the police depart- ment; jailed. handmade chaps. Being able to help in his community or people in need was not a chore for Walt, he did it gladly. Some of the community programs Walt has served on: Board member for several ditch companies; 9 years as school board mem- ber; Lions club charter mem- ber; Scout Master for over 50 years, helping 18 scouts get their Eagle Scout status — Walt received the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver from Boy Scouts of America; Grange member on the Snake River and for the Eagle Valley Grange serving as their Grange Master for 20 years; Episcopal Church Board member; Northwest Rodeo Producers founder and JANUARY 17-23 ELTRYM HISTORIC THEATER 1809 1st Street, Baker City www.eltrym.com 1917 R FRI: (4:00) 7:00 SAT-MON: (1:00) (4:00) 7:00 TUES-THURS: 7:00 DOLITTLE PG FRI: (4:10) 7:10 SAT-MON: (1:10) (4:10) 7:10 TUES-THURS: 7:10 JUST MERCY PG-13 FRI: (3:45) 6:45 SAT-MON: (12:45) (3:45) 6:45 TUES-THURS: 6:45 ( )Bargain Matinee Show Times: 541-523-2522 Offi ce: 541-523-5439 The Northeast Oregon Compassion Center’s 15th- annual fundraising banquet is set for Saturday, Feb. 1 at 5 pm. at the Church of the Nazarene Family Life Center, 1250 Hughes Lane. The Compassion Center provides a variety of free services to people in need in the community. Tickets are being sold for the tri-tip dinner, which includes four side dishes and dessert. There will also be donation forms and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $15 per person, and must be bought in advance at the Family Life Center, the Church of the Nazarene offi ce, or the Harvest Church, 3720 Birch St. A donation of $200 to the Compassion Center includes two free tickets. Tickets are limited, so people are encouraged to buy early to reserve a seat. Items available in the silent and live auctions include waterfowl hunting packages from Pre-Dawn Adventures, unique artwork by local artisan Tom Clement, Sweet Wife Baking pies, gift baskets, cou- pons from local merchants and more. The guest speaker for the banquet is Karen Berg- strom from the Safe Families For Children movement. More information is available at Facebook.com/ NortheastOregonCompassionCenter and at www. neoregoncompassioncenter.org Haines Elementary School chili feed and raffl e fundraiser set for Feb. 7 The annual Haines Elementary School Chili Feed and Raffl e is scheduled Friday, Feb. 7. The event, billed as the largest fundraiser of the year, will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the school. Money raised at the event is used to help pay for technology in classrooms and to support assemblies and fi eld trips that enhance the students’ educational experiences, a news release stated. Items raffl ed during the evening are donated by local businesses and community partners. To donate, call Chelsea Blatchford, PTCO president, at 541-519- 2017. Tickets are pre-sold by Haines students and also will be available at the door. The cost is $2 per ticket, three for $5, seven for $10, or $20 for 15 tickets. Win- ners do not have to be present to collect their prizes. Dinner tickets are $5 for adults (11 and older), $4 for children (ages 4-10), and free to children younger than 3. The all-you-can-eat meal includes homemade chili, cornbread, baked potato and lemonade. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Haines Elementary School at 541-524-2400. — Send local briefi ng to news@bakercityherald.com board member; Halfway Fair Board member; Elks Club member (Weiser, Idaho). A steady and true Waltism and exactly how he lived his life shared — “Be the best you can.....EVERYDAY!!” or hearing him say, “Ah the heck.” Or when he shared that fabulous smile of his. Walt is survived by his children, Patricia Pickard and her husband, Clair, of Keating Valley, Jane Leather- man and her husband, Doug, of Sumpter, Dan Forsea and his wife, Renece, of Rich- land, Lana LaZott and her husband, Chuck, of Rainier, Connie Forsea and Toni Corning of Richland, and Niki Hutchinson of Crouch, Idaho; 12 grandchildren; 21 great- grandchildren; his sister, Pearl DuMars; and many nieces, nephews and extended family. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Norma; his parents; his sister, Margret; his brothers, Harold Forsea and Robert Forsea; and his grandson, Jacob Corning. For those who would like to make a donation in memory of Walt, the family suggests the Eagle Valley Grange, Eagle Valley Ambulance or the charity of your choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Crema- tion Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneral- home.com
